A human user interface with a machine, process or article may be conducted using various channels or lines, such as audio, visual, touch or a combination of these. The present invention relates to an interface that includes at least audio communication via an audio line or channel from the machine, process or article to a human user.
As an example, a Voice User Interface (VUI) or an Interactive Voice Response (IVR) are well-known and fast-growth areas of technology, such that numerous companies are attempting to solve the same problems.
Non-verbal audio (sound effects and music) are used to aid VUI navigation. Sound Effects/Music can be used as an “Icon” to identify a Service, for example, and for “Latency Sounds” (Sound Effect/Music which is played while the system fetches information content). In a VUI, the human user issues a voice command for information. Such a command is to cause the performance of a function by the execution of a step. The receiver of the command then performs the function by executing the step and transmits the resulting information by voice.
Interactive Voice Response (IVR) uses a touchtone telephone to communicate with a remote compute, which uses a computerized voice to read back information.
Therefore, there is a need for an improved voice interface between a system and a human.